Thanks to a heads-up from Finn Wolfhard, Daniel Radcliffe was in the know about Saturday Night Live’s buzzworthy “Heated Wizardry” sketch before it even aired. The former Harry Potter star recently shared this tidbit in an interview with Rolling Stone, confirming he’d seen the spoof that debuted during the show’s first episode of 2026.
“I did, yes,” Radcliffe told the publication, explaining that Wolfhard actually texted him about the sketch the day before it aired on January 17th. “Weirdly, I had met Finn Wolfhard a few weeks before, randomly, and we chatted for a bit. And then he texted me the day before it aired, being like, ‘Hey, just so you know, we’re doing a Harry Potter sketch.’”
A Magical Twist on a Popular Trend
The sketch, a playful take on the successful gay hockey series Heated Rivalry (available on Crave), featured Wolfhard portraying Daniel Radcliffe’s iconic character, Harry Potter, while Ben Marshall stepped into the role of Ron Weasley. However, this wasn’t your typical Hogwarts adventure. The sketch cleverly transformed a Quidditch rivalry into a blossoming romance, mirroring the themes of Heated Rivalry.
The sketch opened with a voiceover proclaiming, “Coming soon to HBO, the beloved wizarding world of Harry Potter makes its television debut,” before showcasing a heated exchange between Wolfhard’s Harry and Marshall’s Ron on their first day at Hogwarts. The voiceover continued, “…with an all-new story hastily written after the success of a certain other HBO show…”
Despite the widespread acclaim for Heated Rivalry, Radcliffe admitted he hasn’t personally watched the show, though he’s “very aware” of its popularity. “My girlfriend is a huge fan,” he revealed. Nevertheless, he thoroughly enjoyed the SNL sketch.
“I’m sure there are jokes I was missing, but it was very funny and sweet,” Radcliffe added. “I’m always happy to see other versions of that. It makes me laugh.”
This playful parody highlights the enduring cultural impact of the Harry Potter franchise and its ability to be reimagined and enjoyed in new and unexpected ways. You can learn more about the original series at Wizarding World.
